Interior doors: how to make a big design impact

Want to change and modernize your home's interior? Consider new doors - really! Many, many homes have one of two types of doors: flat, plain doors or six panel doors. If the home was built on a tight budget, they are probably hollow core - meaning you have a small wooden frame, a thin skin covering the frame, and corrugated cardboard filling the void between the skins for sound dampening.

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There are plenty of reasons to make the switch. For one, even if you're happy with the look of your doors, upgrading to a solid core makes a big difference in terms of dampening sound. However, if you're changing the decor of your home or are just looking to change the overall vibe of your design, your interior doors can help you get the big impact you're looking for.

If you have standard six panel doors, for example, and would like a more contemporary look, consider switching them out for modern designs like a two panel door with unequal panels or a three panel with equal-sized panels. You can also go rustic-modern by installing a sliding barn door.

Don't have the budget to switch out your doors? Consider the standby favorite - a fresh coat of paint. Just by using your current six-panel and painting the raised sections, you give depth to a relatively flat door.

Is design less of a concern than your home's size? Watch as, like magic, rooms become bigger by exchanging a solid door with a door that has glass panels. Either with clear or frosted glass, these doors will allow more light into a room. Doors with glass can be used as a room divider, section off a portion of a room to be used as an office, or to keep the room visible but keep children or pets out.

Most box-box retailers stock several door designs and even have catalogs from which they can special order. Catalogs can also be viewed on-line form the bigger interior door manufacturers such as JELD-WEN. Wherever you order them from, get ready for a big aesthetic change once they're installed.